Highlights and images for 25 September 2024

The global reach and conservation focus of the International Whaling Commission was celebrated during a pre-retirement tribute to longtime IWC technical advisor David Mattila. His “extraordinary work” on entanglement response and capacity building across the globe inspired a standing ovation.

The pace of the meeting picked up speed on its third day, in part because some previously-contentious topics didn’t have any major decisions on the table, and in part because decision making on the draft resolutions and proposed Schedule amendment won’t be on the agenda until Thursday.

Discussion on whale killing methods and welfare issues elicited statements that centered on the need for updated and consistent data reporting by the whaling countries. Specific concerns raised included: inconsistent data on numbers killed; complaints that some data on time-to-death is more than a decade old; and data gaps hinder progress on ensuring that killing methods minimize suffering, despite available technology to address those gaps.

A presentation by the Working Group on Operational Effectiveness (WGOE) generated the most discussion of the day. Antigua and Barbuda stressed that voting rights should be de-linked from financial contributions to avoid suppressing the rights of developing countries to participate in negotiations. Delegates agreed on provisions related to: encouragement of member payments; exceptional circumstances regarding contributions; and payment plans. They also tasked the WGOE with conducting further work intersessionally on issues related to suspension of voting rights.

On the biennium budget, delegates considered a revised draft. In response to concerns expressed by some countries that a 5% increase was too great a burden, delegates considered and approved a 3% increase. To achieve a balanced budget, this involved cuts to: additional statistics capability; planned upgrades to digital data; and additional Secretariat travel. Numerous countries and NGOs expressed alarm over the trend of reducing the budget for the Scientific Committee (SC), with Argentina calling the SC “the backbone of the Commission.” The Animal Welfare Institute announced a forthcoming contribution of GBP10,000 to IWC core funds, and GBP30,000 to the Conservation Committee (CC), and encouraged others to match. The Netherlands announced a voluntary contribution of EUR20,000.

Other topics considered during the day included reports from the Infractions Sub-Committee and the CC.

The day ended with the election of Nick Gales (Australia) as the incoming IWC Chair and Urbain Brito (Benin) as Vice-Chair, and an offer by Australia to host IWC-70 in 2026, which was approved by applause.